The Hindu Morning Digest: March 31, 2026

Transgender Amendment Bill gets President Murmu’s assent

President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, the Union Law Ministry said in a gazette notification on Monday (March 30, 2026). The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday (March 25, 2026) passed the Bill, a day after the Lok Sabha cleared the legislation. The Opposition had demanded the Bill should be sent to a select committee of the House for further scrutiny, as it had provisions that would have an impact on the dignity of third-gender people.

Israel passes law making death penalty default sentence for Palestinians convicted of lethal attacks

Israel’s Parliament passed ​a ⁠law on Monday (March 30, 2026) ‌making ‌the ‌death ⁠penalty ⁠a default sentence for ​Palestinians ‌convicted in military ‌court of ​deadly attacks, seeing ⁠through a ‌main pledge by ‌Prime Minister ​Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right ⁠allies. The legislation has drawn international criticism against Israel, which is already under ​scrutiny for increasing violence by settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Iranian Parliament mulls possible exit from nuclear treaty

Iran’s Parliament is reviewing a possible exit from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday (March 30, 2026), while insisting that Tehran has not and will not seek nuclear weapons. “What is the benefit of joining a treaty in which bullying parties at the international level not only do not allow us to benefit from its rights but also attack our nuclear facilities?” Mr. Baghaei said, adding that Tehran would respect the treaty as long as it is a member.

Spain denies U.S. permission to use its airspace for ‘illegal’ war on Iran

Spain has closed its airspace to U.S. planes involved in the Iran war, the country’s Defence Minister said on Monday (March 30, 2026), marking another step in the government’s opposition to U.S. and Israeli involvement in the conflict in West Asia. The country had already said that the U.S. could not use jointly-operated military bases in the Iran conflict, which Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has described as illegal, reckless and unjust.

Rain, storms kill 45 people in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Heavy rain and storms have killed at least 45 people over the past few days across Afghanistan and Pakistan, disaster officials in both countries said Monday (March 30, 2026). Rain sweeping across Afghanistan since Thursday (March 26, 2026) has caused floods and landslides in multiple provinces. “Twenty-eight people were martyred, and 49 people were injured,” Afghanistan’s disaster management authority (ANDMA) said, while more than 100 homes have been destroyed.

T.N. Assembly election: Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s assets estimated at ₹6.25 crore

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday declared assets worth ₹6.25 crore, as part of the affidavit submitted when he filed his nomination papers for the Kolathur constituency. Of this, the moveable assets are worth ₹3.3 crore and immovable assets worth ₹2.95 crore. In the affidavit furnished before the Returning Officer on Monday, along with the nomination papers to contest the Kolathur Assembly consituency, Mr. Stalin stated that his deposits amounted to ₹2.8 crore. The current market value of 50% of the 5,833 sq.ft residential building owned by him at No. 5, Rani Street, Seethapathi Nagar, in Velachery is ₹1.57 crore. The current market value of the 25% of the 3,620 sq.ft residential building owned by him at No.5, Keezha Sannidhi Street, in Tiruvarur is ₹20.26 lakh.

Barring one, entire top leadership of Maoists wiped out, Amit Shah tells Lok Sabha

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday (March 30, 2026) that barring one, the entire leadership of Maoists had been wiped out in the past two years. He said that at the beginning of 2024, there were 21 Politburo and Central Committee members of the Communist Party of India (Maoists), but as of today, one was arrested, seven surrendered, 12 were killed, and dialogue is on with the absconding member who is expected to surrender soon.

Russia ‘glad’ oil cargo reached its ally Cuba amid U.S. blockade

Russia is pleased that a shipment of its oil reached Cuba, the Kremlin said on Monday (March 30, 2026), after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was not bothered by the delivery despite Washington’s de facto blockade of the island. Russia sent the Anatoly Kolodkin, a sanctioned oil tanker carrying 7,30,000 barrels of crude, to Cuba earlier this month as the Communist-run island grappled with fuel shortages.

IPL 2026 | Bowlers on target as Royals knock over Super Kings

After the skies threatened to open up, Rajasthan Royals produced a downpour of wickets as Chennai Super Kings was consigned to a disastrous start in the season opener at the ACA-Barsapara Stadium here on Monday (March 30, 2026). The relentless display from the hosts’ bowlers knocked out the visitors for 127. Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed a 17-ball 52, with five towering sixes and four crisp fours, as the Riyan Parag-led outfit romped to an eight-wicket win with 47 balls to spare.

JioStar terminates Bangladesh IPL cricket broadcast deal, letter shows

Mukesh Ambani’s entertainment venture JioStar has ‌terminated its broadcast deals in Bangladesh for the Indian Premier ​League cricket tournament, saying its local partner defaulted ⁠on payments, according to a document seen by Reuters. Bangladesh in January banned IPL broadcasts after one of its teams, Kolkata Knight Riders, dropped Bangladesh pacer ‌Mustafizur Rahman on Indian cricket board’s instruction, just as tensions rose between the two countries following the killing ‌of a Hindu man in Bangladesh.

Published – March 31, 2026 07:03 am IST